Electric lighting means



March 8, 1938. H A DQUGLAS 2,110,135

v ELECTRIC LIGHTING MEANS briginal Filed Jan. 21, 1935 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Douglas 1 nvgm-ro ATTo'Ruz s j) V Hana A March 8, 1938. H A, D GL 2,110,135

ELECTRIC LIGHTING MEANS 0 Original Filed Jan. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Haiti; .Doulg-s Iwvf. TCR

A-rroRNqs Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC LIGHTING MEANS Harry AiDouglas, Bronson, liflch, assignor to Kingston Products Corporation, a corporation of Indiana Original application January 21, 1935, Serial No.

2,723. Divided and this application 10, 1935, Serial No. 53,772

Claims.

My invention relates to electric lighting means, and, more particularly, to electric lighting means such as are mounted in reflectors, as in automobilehead-lamps. The principal object of my 5 invention is to provide new and improved means of these types. This application is a division of my copending application Serial Number 2,723, filed January 21, 1935.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, and forming part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, certain forms which my invention may assume. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of one face of a mounting;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a detail of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front view of a mounting, with the detail of Figure 3 not completely assembled therewith;

Figure 5 is a front view, of the parts shown in Figure 4, completely assembled;

Figure 6 is a section taken along the line |iB of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, enlarged, taken on theline of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure-8 is a view similar to Figure 7 with the parts in a difierent position;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of another embodiment of my invention, the lamp being fragmentarily shown;

Figure 10 is a front view, partly in section, of

parts of the embodiment of Figure 9, partly as- Referring to Figure 1, there is here shown an incandescent electric lamp 211 connectedto a mounting 2|. The mounting 2| may be a reflector of parabolic form. The lamp 211 com- 55 prises a bulb 22 containing a pair of filaments December 23, 24. The filament 23 is here shown as disposed on'the axis of the lamp, whereas the filament 24 is displaced from that axis. The lamp 20 includes means providing a base 25 for the lamp. The base means here shown includes a generally cylindrical shell memben 26 in which the bulb 22 is secured in a well known manner. The base means includes a lateral extension, which in this instance is shown as including a cylindrical portion 21 surrounding the shell 26, the cylindrical portion 21 being integrally joined to another cylindrical portion or skirt 28 by a curved annular portion 29. The skirt 28 is spaced from the shell 26, and may have its edge 30 rounded if desired. The cylindrical portion 21 may be fastened to the shell 26 in any suitable manner. The skirt portion 28 is provided with a plurality of laterally extending portions, in the illustrated embodiment, three portions, 3|, 32, 33. The pertions 3|, 32, 33 are'shown as struck out from the skirt 28, and each struck out portion is shown as comprising a pair of radially outwardly ex tending portions 34, 35 and a circumferential portion 36, joining the ends of the radially extending portions 34; 35, the portions 34, 35, 38 forming an aperture extending in an axial direction.

It will be apparent that the struck-out extensions 31,32, 33, may be of suitable number to secure the desired results, may assume suitableforms other than that illustrated, and may be formedin any suitable way, by hand or machine. A method of and an embodiment of apparatus for striking out one or more extensions such as 3|, 32, 33, is disclosed and claimed in my copending application hereinbefore referred to.

.The mounting 2| is provided with a circular aperture 31, the diameter of which is enough larger than the diameter of the skirt 28 so that theskirt 28 may be readily slipped through the aperture 31.

The base 25 is adapted to cooperate with a socket means or connecting means 38. For con venience the connecting or socket means will be referred to as socket means. The socket means comprises a generally cylindrical shell 39 provided with a radially extending flange 40 from which extend in an axial direction a plurality of circumferentially spaced portions or bars 4|, 42, 43,, shaped in this instance to form hooks. All of these hooks; in the illustrated embodiment, are of the same form so that in the following description reference may be had to the hook 43 which may be most clearly seen in Figure 3.

The hook 43 comprises a throat 44 and a mouth 45 which is partly closedby a lip 46. The lip 46 is of triangular form providing a pair of cam surfaces 41, 48. If desired the end of the hook may have its corners 49, 56 beveled off. The cam surface 41 extends to the bottom 5| of the mouth of the hook.

The width of the hook between the outer edge 52 of the lip 46 and the edge 53 of the back of the throat 44 of the hook is such as to pass freely through apertures 54, 55, 56 respectively, in the ,mounting 2| The apertures 54, 55, 56 are here shown as constituting radial extensions of the aperture 31. The throat 44 of each hook is of a width to fit the circumferential width of a set of apertures 51, 58, 59 respectively, which aper-' tures also are here shown as constituting radial extensions of the aperture 31. The apertures 54, 51 and 55, 58 and 56, 59 are separated respectively by radially inwardly extending projections 66, 6|, 62, the sides of these projections defining edges of the apertures 51, 58, 59 being substantially radial, whereas the other sides are in the form of cam surfaces 63, 64, 65.

The radially outer margins of the apertures 54, 55, 56 and 51, 58, 59 lie on a circle having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the cylindrical surface defined by the outer peripheries of the hooks M, 42, 43, the radial extent of these apertures being substantially the same as the radial thickness of the hooks.

In connection with one use to which the em- .bodiment of Figures 1 through 8 may be put, the

hooks 4|, 42, 43 are desirably unequally spaced about the axis of the socket means 38, the sets of apertures 51, 58, 59 and 54, 55, 56, and the extensions 3| 32, 33, being correspondingly unequally spaced about the center of the aperture 31 and the axis of the base of the lamp respectively, as illustrated in Figures 1 through 6.

The socket means 38 is provided with an insulating member66, adjacent one side of which are radially inwardly extending diametrically opposite segmental flanges 61, 68 provided on the shell portion 39. The insulating member 66 may be fastened to the shell portion 39 by means of tongues, two of which 69, 16 are visible in Figure 1. These tongues may be clinched over-the outside of the insulating member 66. A composite leaf spring 1| may be interposed between the in sulating member 66 and the segmental flanges 61, 68, so that the spring is also held between the flanges and the clinched-over tongues 69, 16.

carrying a pair of contacts 16, 11, each of these contacts being connected to a conductor, only one of which, 18, is visible. The conductor passes through a sleeve 19 provided with a flange 86 adapted to be engaged by the head of the contact 16. The sleeve 19 is slidable in a bushing 8|, the bushing passing through the insulatingmember 66 and being fixed thereto in any suitable manner as by providing beads 82 on the bushing. A spring 83 'is provided for urging the contact 16 away from the insulating member 66, the

spring 63 at one end abutting the flange 86 and at the other end the bushing 8|. The contact 11 is similarly resiliently mounted.

The contacts 16, 11 are adapted to engage a pair of contacts 84 provided on the base'of the lamp 26, only one of the contacts 84 being visible in Figure 1. The filament 23 of the lamp may have one. of its terminals connected to one of the contacts '84 and its other terminal to the shell' 26. The filament 24 may likewise have one of its terminals connected to the shell 26 and its other terminal connected to a different one .of the contacts 84, as willbe obvious to those skilled in the art.

The assembly and operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 through 8 is as follows. When it is desired to assemble the socket means 38 with the mounting 2|, the hooks 4|, 42, 43 are inserted through the apertures 54, 55, 56 respectively, against the bias of the rear face of the mounting, until the lip, portions 46 of the hooks extend beyond the front face of the mounting 2|. The parts are then in the position shown in Figure 4. Thesocket means is then rotated in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4. Such rotation causes the throat portions 44 of the hooks to engage the cam surfaces 63, 64, 65, thereby forcing the throat portionsradially inwardly. Counter clockwise rotation of the socket means is continued until the trailing edges 53 of the throat portions 44 snap off of the projections 66, 6|, 62,

the throat portions moving radially outwardly and becoming seated in the apertures 51, 58, 59. The parts are then in the position shown in Figure 5. When axial pressure on the socket means is removed, the composite spring 1| acts to move by moving the lamp 26 axially, against the bias of the contacts 16, 11, toward the mounting 2| the extensions 3|, 32, 33 will come into abutment with the front face of the mounting 2|. The lamp 26 is thenrotated toward the mouth portions 45 of the hooks to thereby bring the leading portions 35 of the lateral extensions 3|, 32, 33 against the respective cam surfaces 48 of the lips of the hooks, as shown in Figure 8. Further rotation of the lamp 26 in the same direction causes the portions 35, by cam action on the surfaces 48 ,to pull. the hooks 4|, 42, 43 further through the mounting 2|, against the bias of the composite spring 1|. When the trailing edge of the portion 35 passes the apex of the lip portion 46, the parts are brought to the position shown in Figure '7 in which theends of the lipportions 46 of the hooks are disposed in the axially extending apertures formed between the radial portions 34, 35 of the extensions 3|, 32, 33. The

parts are so proportioned that the apex of the lip portions 46 is then out of contact with the front face of the mounting 2|, so that surfaces of the lateral extensions 3| 32, 33, opposed to the face of the mounting, are maintained in firm engagement and registry with the front face of the mounting 2|.

20 the composite spring 1|, the ends of which abut The hereinbefore described embodiment of my invention is well-adapted for use where the aperture 31 is an aperture located in the crown of a parabolic reflector, concentric with the axis of the reflector. For such use the lamp is preferably provided with three lateral extensions, 3|, 32, 33, as shown in the drawings, and is prefocused, that is, the position of the lateral extensions til, 32, 33 is so chosen that the general plane of these extensions is so positioned that the lighting center of the filament 23 is not only on the axis of the reflector, but is at the focal point of /the reflector. The filament 24, which may be used either alone or in combination with the filament 23, therefore is also disposed at a predetermined position with respect to the reflector, for the reason that the lamp 28 may be connected to the reflector at but one predetermined position about its axis because of the unequal spacing of the apertures 51, 58, 59 and the correspondingly unequal spacing of the hook portions 4|, 42, 43 and the lateral extensions 3|, 32, 33. Furthermore, the contacts 84 in the base are caused to properly engage the desired respective contacts I6, 'II so that the switching device (not shown) connected to the contacts I6, 11 will be able to cause current flow in the filaments 23, 24 in the desired relations.

Figures 9 through 13 illustrate another embodiment of my invention, in which the lamp 28, here shown as identical with the lamp 28 of Figure 1, is'assembled with a mounting 85 having a circular aperture 88 which is of such diameter as to freely pass theskirt 28 of the base of the lamp 28.

A connecting means or socket means 81 is provided, having a shell portion 88. The shell portion 88 has a radial flange 89 provided with axially circumferentially spaced portions 98, 9I, 92 made in the form of hooks. The outer peripheries of the portions 98, 9 I, 92 define a cylindrical surface,

' with exceptions to be noted hereinafter.

Each hook has a throat portion 93 and a mouth 94, along with a lip portion 95 partially closing the-mouth of the hook. The lip 95 may have a beveled outer corner to act as a cam surface, if desired. The bottom 98 of the mouth of each hook is adapted to overlie portions 91, 98, 99 of the mounting 85. The radially inner edges of the portions 91, 98. 99 are defined by the aperture 88.

The edges of each of the hooks 98, 9|, 92 opposite the lips 95, are undercut from the ends of the hooks, the undercut extending axially along a line I88. partially into the throat portion 93. to a shoulder I8I. spaced from the bottom 96 of the mouth of the hook by an amount substantially the same as the thickness of the mounting 85.

The throat portions 93 of the hooks, to and including the edges I88 of the hooks are bent radially outwardly, so that, as can be seen in Figures 10 and 11, the bent throat portions have radially outer surfaces tangent to the cylindrical surface defined by the hooks 98, 9|. 92. Those parts of the throat portions 93 which terminate in the shoulders I8I are also bent radially outwardly. in this instance slightly more than the,

95 of the hooks are adapted to be seated in apertures I85, I88, I81 respectively. The apertures I82, I83, I84 and.l85, I88, I81 are hereshown as constituting radially outwardly extending por- The shoulder IN is axially tions of the aperture 86 to thereby form the portions 91, 98, 99 of the mounting, of a radial extent substantially the same as the thickness of the .hooks.

lips 95,'and extend radially beyond the radially outer margins of the apertures I85. I86, I8'I.

The mounting 85 is provided with another set of apertures III, H2, H3 adjacent the set of apertures I82, I83, I84, and both of these sets of apertures have radially outer margins which are at an angle to a radius of the aperture 86. substantially the same as the angle of the tangent bent portion of the throats 93. These sets of apertures consequently form triangular projections H4, H5, H6, the apexes of which lie on a circle larger than the aperture 86 by an amount substantially equal to the radial thickness of the hook portions 98, 9|, 92. The circumferential width of each of the pairs of apertures I82. III and I83. H2 and I84, II 3 is suflicient respectively to pass the circumferential width of the reduced ends of the hooks 98, 9|, 92 respectively. Due

.to the unequal circumferential spacing of the apertures I82. I83, I84, the aperture II2 merges tongues I28. 8

The contact carrier II! is here shown as carry-.

in a pair of contacts I2I, I22 which are connected to conductors and resiliently biased toward the contacts 84 on the lamp base in a manner the same as already described in connection with Figure 1.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 9 through 13 is assembled and operated in the following manner. The hook portions 98. 9|; 92 are brought into registry with the pairs of apertures I82, III and I83, H2 and I84, II3 respectively and thrust through these composite apertures until the shoulders I8I abut the rear face of the mounting 85. The socket means is then rotated in a counter clockwise direction. as

v t nues the leading edges of the lips 95 ride radially inwardly onto the inner peripheries of the mounting portions 91, 98, 99, which action may be assisted by the beveled edges of the portions 91, 98, 99. Further counter clockwise rotation causes the trailing edges of the lips 95 to snap into the apertures I85, I85, I81. At the same time the trailing edges I88 of the hooks snap off of the triangular projections H4, H5, H8, thereby seating the reduced portions of the necks 93 in the apertures I82, I83, I84 respectively. The parts are then in the position shown in Figure 1], in which the socket means is latched both against rotational movement in either direction, and against any substantial axial movement in either direction.

In the assembled position of the socket means in the mounting 85, the lips 95 of the hooks extend in an axial direction toward the right, as

4 v viewed in Figures 9,1 2, and 13, beyond the, rear face of the mounting 85, a predetermined desired amount. a

The parts as shown in the position in Figure 11 are ready to receive and have'connected thereto a lamp 20. The lamp is first positioned with the skirt 28 of the base in registry with the aperture 86, and with the lateral extensions3l, 32, 33 in registry with the apertures I08, I09, H0. The lamp is then moved axially, against the bias of the contacts I2I, I22, thereby causing the lateral extensions 3|, 32, 33 to pass through the apertures I08, I09, IIO to a position axially beyond the rear face of the mounting 85. The lamp 20 may then be rotated in such direction that the lateral extensions 3|, 32, 33 enter the mouth portions 94 of the hooks, whereupon the lamp may be released, theresiliently biased contacts I2I, I22 moving the projections 3|, 32, 33 towards the bottoms 96 of the mouth portions 94, andseating those projections directly'against the rear face of the mounting 05, as can be seen from Figures '9 and 13. The resiliently biased contacts I2I, I22 not only force the projections 3|, 32, 33 against the rear face of the mounting 85 but force the bottoms 96 of the hooks against the front face of the mounting.

As in the embodiment of Figures 1 through 8, the embodiment of Figures 9 through 13 is adapted to be used in instances where the aperture 86 is located on the axis of a parabolic reflector.

For reasons already pointed out in connection with Figures 1 through 8, the lamp 20 may be of the pre-focused type, which is accomplished by properly locating the lateral extensions 3|, 32, 33 on the base with respect to the filament 23 and with respect to the focal point of the reflector.

The lateral extensions 3|, 32, 33 may be properly located on the base by making alamp, complete except for the lateral extensions or positioning means 3|, 32, 33, then adjusting such a lamp to a predetermined position and then while the lamp is in that predetermined position forming the positioning means on the base.

A method of and one embodiment of apparatus for making pre-fo'cused incandescent lamps of the type herein shown and described, is dis closed in'my hereinbefore mentioned copending application. 4

As a result of this method, the plane defined by the faces of the struck-out extensions 3|, 32, 33, which faces are intended to abut; the mounting, will be so related, say to the filament 23, that the lighting center of that filament will be in a line normal to that plane, that normal line intersecting that plane at a point equidistant from the several extensions 3|, 32, '33; and furthermore, so that the lighting center of the filament 23 will be at a predetermined distance from that plane, or, in case the mounting is a reflector, so that that predetermined distance will be the same as the distance of the focal point of the reflector from the plane defined by the points of contact between the surface of the reflector-and the extensions 3I, 32, 33.

Figure 14 shows a form'of lamp, I36, which may be used in place of the lamp 20. The lamp I 36 is similar to the lamp 20 hereinbefore described, but in this instance the lamp may have a bulb I31 which is mounted in a' base I33 having a shell portion I39 and a skirt portion I40 which is an integral part of the shell |39, spaced therefrom and connected thereto by the curved annular portion I4I. The principal difference between the lamp I36-and the lamp 20 is that the skirt portion I40 forms an integral part of the shell I39, whereas in the lamp 20 the base means is made in two parts comprising generally a shell portion 26 and the skirt portion 28 is suitably fastened thereto. The skirt I40 may be provided with a plurality of struck-out extensions, corresponding to the extensions 3|, 32, 33 of the lamp and improved electric lighting means, and accordingly accomplishes the principal object of my invention. On the other hand, it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the.

particular embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing descent electric lamp, having an aperture; an incandescent electric lamp having a bulb basemeans,'for said bulb, including a shell portion fastened to said bulb, and an annular part, joined to said shell portion and extending parallel to and spaced from said shell portion, said annular part being insertable into said aperture; means, for

accurately positioning said lamp with respect to said mounting, including a'plurality of circumferentially spaced portions struck. out from the body of said part; and means for pressing said struck-out portions against said mounting.

2. In combination: a mounting, for an incandescent electric lamp, having an aperture having its radially inner marginal portions defining a circle; an incandescent electric lamp having a bulb; base-means, for said bulb, including a shell portion fastened to said bulb, and an annular part, joined to said shell portion and extending parallel to and spaced from saidshell portion, said annular part fitting slidably in said aperture; means, for accurately positioning said lamp with respect to said mounting, including a plu rality of circumferentially spaced portions struck out from the body of said part; and means for pressing said struck-out portions against said mounting.

3. In combination: a mounting, for an incandescent electric lamp, having an aperture; a socket unit having parts radially inner peripheral portions of which define a cylindrical surface, said parts fitting slidably in said mounting aperture;

an incandescent electric lamp having abulb;

base-means, for said bulb, including a shell portion fastened to said bulb, and an annular part,

'joined at one end to said shell portion extending parallel to and spaced from said'shell portion, said annular part fitting slidably in said cylindrical surface; means, for accurately positioning said lamp with respect to said mounting, including a plurality of circumferentially spaced portions struck out from the body of said annular part; and said socket unit including means for pressing said struck-out portions against said mounting.

4. In combination: an incandescent electric lamp having a bulb; base-means, for said bulb, including a shell portion fastened to said bulb, and an annular part, joined to said shell portion and extending parallel to and spaced from said shell portion; mounting means, for 'said lamp, having a portion extending transversely to the axis of said lamp, said portion having an aperture through a lateral face through which said annular part extends; means, for accurately po sitioning said lamp with respect to said mounting means, including a plurality of circumierentially spaced portions struck out from the body of said annular part, said struck-out portions abutting said lateral face; and means for pressing said struck-out portions against said lateral face.

5. In combination: a mounting, for an incandescent electric lamp, having an aperture; a socket unit having parts radially inner peripheral portions of which define a cylindrical surface,

said parts fitting slidably in said mounting aperture; an incandescent electric lamp having a bulb; base-means, for said bulb, including a shell portion fastened to said bulb, and an annular part, joined at one end to said shell portion extending parallel to and spaced from said shell portion, said annular part fitting slidably in said cylindrical surface; means, for accurately positioning said lamp with respect to said mounting, including a plurality of circumferentially spaced portions extending radially outwardly from said annular part; and said socket unit including means for pressing said circumferentially spaced 

